The short answer
Yes, set one, but don't make it the whole point. Nikkiey says goals are worth having as mile markers for direction, not the destination your happiness depends on. Put most of your focus on the daily systems that get you there, and anchor the goal to a deeper reason than just losing weight.
Hear Nikkiey answer it
Tap play to start right where it's answered. It keeps playing while you browse.
Nikkiey on keeping outcome goals as mile markers, not the destination
Plays from 23:28 · Ep. 381: Why Hitting Your Fitness Goal Didn't Make You Happy
Why goals help you win the game but systems keep you playing it
Plays from 18:48 · Ep. 54: Goals vs Systems: How to Stay Consistent With Fat Loss
Why "I want to lose weight" won't carry you through the slow months
Plays from 11:48 · Ep. 181: How to Stay Consistent With Fitness When You're Too Busy
Nikkiey on keeping goals but not letting them create a yo-yo effect
Plays from 16:36 · Ep. 2: Goals vs Systems: How to Stop the Yo-Yo Diet Cycle
The full answer
Across several episodes, Nikkiey's message is consistent: goals aren't the problem. The problem is how you hold them. On Ep. 2 and Ep. 54 she explains that the purpose of setting goals is to win the game, while the purpose of building systems is to keep playing it. When the goal is everything, reaching it takes away your motivation, people go back to their old habits, and the yo-yo cycle starts again. She shares on Ep. 381 that she didn't have a goal after her goal and gained 25 pounds back in one month. That is why she says to plan for after before you get there.
How to set a goal that actually works, based on what she teaches:
- Make the feeling the goal. On Ep. 381, if you want to feel confident, make confidence the goal, not the weight or the pant size. Then ask what builds it: finishing workouts, getting stronger, meal prepping, walking into the weight room.
- Pair outcome goals with process goals. Focus on the behaviors that produce the result.
- Find a deeper why. On Ep. 181, Nikkiey says "I want to lose weight" is a fine goal but too superficial to carry you through the slow months and the holidays. Keep digging until you reach something real, like your kids, your grandkids, your relationship, or proving to yourself you can do it.
- Detach if it's running you. On Ep. 54, if a goal has you asking why you're not getting there faster, it's controlling you. The better daily question is: did I show up today?
One more point from Ep. 381: as your body composition changes, you may never even hit the number you picked, so don't wait for the scale to give you permission to feel good. If past goals didn't stick, it isn't a character flaw. A goal without a system behind it was never built to last.
From Nikkiey Stott and WarriorBabe's coaching. For education, not medical advice: talk to your doctor about your own health.
Women also ask
More questions →
Consistency & Mindset
What is the difference between a goal and a system?
A goal is the result you want, like losing 20 pounds. A system is the daily process that gets you there. Nikkiey explains that hitting your protein, scheduling your lifts, planning meals, drinking water, getting steps and going to bed on time are the system, and a goal without one is just wishful thinking.
Read the answer →
Consistency & Mindset
How do I find time to work out when I'm busy?
You don't need more hours; you need to put yourself on the schedule you already have. Nikkiey suggests checking your phone's screen time and giving an hour of scrolling or TV to a 30-minute workout or meal planning, then blocking workouts on your calendar and adjusting the number of days until it sticks.
Read the answer →
Consistency & Mindset
Why do I feel nothing after reaching my goal weight?
Because the feeling you were chasing was never in the number. Nikkiey explains that your brain adapts fast, so the body you worked for becomes your new normal almost immediately, and normal doesn't feel like anything. Many women are also grieving the journey and the structure it gave them, not just confused by the destination.
Read the answer →
Watch or listen in full
More on this topic →
19 minGoals vs Systems: How to Stop the Yo-Yo Diet Cycle
Episode 2 · Jan 9, 2023
22 minGoals vs Systems: How to Stay Consistent With Fat Loss
Episode 54 · May 12, 2023
31 minHow to Stay Consistent With Fitness When You're Too Busy
Episode 181 · Aug 16, 2024